Lubricating apparatus.



A. M. ALEXANDER.

LUBRICATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, 1912- RENEWED JUNE 7I I915.

1,157,359. Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l A. M. ALEXANDER.

LUBRICATING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13. I912. RENEWED JUNE 711915.

1,157,359.. Patented 001,19, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Wmzss A. M. ALEXANDER.

LUBRICATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13. 1912. RENEWED JUNE 7.1915.

1,157,359. Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I "IE WL'Q/UJUMII):

ALEXANDER/ M. ALEXANDER, OF BEVERLY,

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOE T UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSOH, NEW JERSEY, A CORFOBATIGN 0Fv NEW JERSEY.

' Application filed March 13, 1912, Serial Ito. 683,413. Renewed June 7, 1915'.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ALEXANDER M. ALEX- nxnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Lubricating Apwith each other to that produced by the surfaces of solids in contact with a film or oil. While it has generally been considered- 7 that the ideal conditions of lubrication could am aware,

be most nearly" approximated by flooding; the friction surfaces with oil, on'the theory that an abundance of oil insures the constant presence between the surfaces of the desired film still it has been found that under man a I u 0 u I conditions better lubrication can be obtained by supplying to the surfaces to be lubricated just enough oil to maintain a thin film between them without providing an excess of oil. ()bviou'sly where such conditions exist, theprovision of an excess of oil is not'only a waste of lubricating material butlalso causes a waste of energy since the excess of oilactually produces inferior running conditions. Prior to this invention, however, no apparatus has been devised, so far as l bywhich oil could'be delivered to the friction surfaces in the required quan tities necessary to" maintain for any substantial length of time the desired lubricating conditions; It is an important object of this invention to devise an apparatus by which this condition oflubrication can readily be maintained. With this end in view, it is proposed to utilize'a current of air or other gas to force oil,"preferably in the form of a'thin film, toward the friction surface. By this arrangement th'e rate of delivery of Oll to the surface to be lubricated can be made just sufficient to maintain indefinitely the required lubricating conditions. It is furtherproposed to utilize the fluid pressure Specification of Letters Patent.

LUBRIOATING nrrnnarus.

sea-a no. 32,73

conditions existing; between the friction sur "aces to be lubricated to force oil on to these surfaces. 1 have found that the relative movement of friction surfaces upon each other produces between them fluid pressures di'fering considerably at different points. it hen, for instance, a journal rotates in its bearing there is produced around the jourzeal for a considerable angular distance a positive pressure varying in intensity at different points, while around another part of the journal there is produced a region of negative pressure. 7

The present invention'provides an apparatus in which these pressure conditions are utilised to create a current of air or other gas'suificicl t to force lubricating material, either in the form. of a film as above mentioned, or otherwise, to the friction surface to be lubricated.

While many forms of apparatus maybe devised to operate in accordance with the present invention, l have shown in the accompanying drawings, for purposes of explanati-on, certain very simple constructions.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an apparatus designed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a. sectional view of the apparatus shown in 1; Fig. 3 is a section of an apparatus like that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but applied to slightly difi erent conditions; Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of adifferent apparatus; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 4; and "Fig. 6 is across-sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. i.

Referring; first to Figs. 1 and 2, 2 indicates a bearing having" the usual bushing 4t and supporting a shaft 6 for rotative movement. The bearing, is provided on one-side with a boss 8 in which a hole is drilled to form an oil pocket or reservoir 10, A'small hole 12 is drilled through the casting 2 and bushing' 4, substantially in vor above the level of .sary. The outer end of the other hole, however, should be left open yand, in order toprevent 1ts becoming clogged with dirt, this Patented Get. 19, 1915;.

-' thereinto, theplug having small holes drilled filled, causing the oil to rise in the duct to a point somewhat below the duct 12;

hole may be tapped and a plug 18 threaded through from the sides, where they will be unlikely to becomefilled with dirt, and open-j ing into the hole 14. It'will beevident that the holes 12 and 15. form a continuous oil duct leading from'the oil reservoirto a point on the friction surface of'vthe bushing; and

Y that the ducts 12 and 14 afford free com-i munication between said point and the atmosphere. r

, In using the apparatus the" oil reservoir The upper edge of the reservoir preferably 'isso positioned with reference totheducts,v

thatthe reservoir cannot be filled to such I a point that the oilwill run through the duct 12-on to the friction surface solely 0 through the influence of gravity. Y r

Assumingthe shaft to be rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow D in Fig; 2, suction will be created at the point where the duct 12 opens on to the friction surface of the bushing The lubricating action should be initiated by establishing a film of oil between the friction surface and the surface ofthe oil in the duct 15. ,This'action maybe accomplished by closing the apertures in the plug 18 for .an instant, which will cause the oil-to'flow through the duct 12,-; or a suflicientfilm of oil may have been established previously during the machining operations; thus renderlng the priming:

operation unnecessary. The suction created by the movement of the shaft 6 will cause a current of air to flow continuously through j r the duct 14 to its junction with the duct 12 and then along the latter duct to the-shaft. J

the'point at which theoil duct 12 should;

This current of air exerts a frictional dra b on thefilm of oil in the'duct 12, tending to 'until the'oil level drops to such apoint that air-is admitted through the reservoir to the The reservoir force or urge ittoward the friction surface of the bearing. vIn this apparatus the oil is delivered to the bearing in exceedingly small f quantities, no actual transfer of oil being 7 visible, even in-an apparatus constructed tov expose all the ducts to view. Yet oil is sup plied in sufficient quantities to maintain constantly a thin film between the shaft and the bearing but without providing any excess of oil. After the operationof the apparatus has been initiated by priming,it will con ;tinue to operate'automatically, starting'up when the shaftis started, and stopping when the ,rotationof the shaft is discontinued,

lower end of the duct 15. then should berefilledt Fig. 3 shows the same relative arrangement of ducts and reservoirgbut applied to a bearing in which a,

shaft reciprocates axially. p t

It is important, in an apparatus arranged as. above described, to have ;the oil duct openonto the friction surface of the bearing 1 at a point where negative-pressure is created. The distribution of fluid pressure around the? journal depends chiefly upon -thepositioni V and intensity of the force imparted'to it by the driving means tending to press it later- 7 ally, against the friction surface. Referring to Fig. 2, andflassuming the shaft 6 to be driven by, abelt,th;e direction of'load and direction of beltpull coinciding and both acting to press the shaft against'thebearing inthe direction indicated by the arrow A,

it will be evident that, when the shaft is sta 5 tion'ary, the point of maximum positive pressure will be at the point A; but when the V shaft, is rotated in a clock-wiseidirection and issupplied with lubricating material, the

po nt of maximum pressure willbe shifted slightly'toward the'left to a point, sayv at B.

periments have demonstrated that, at a; point lessrthan ahead (1n thedirection of rotation) of tlllS POlIib of maximum pressure- The amount of this shifting will depend 'upon the load, beltjpull, andrspeed EX- on the leaving; side of the journal, thatis;

the side at which the journal passes out of contact with the friction surface; as; d1st1n-;

. guished from theside at which it runs into contact with the 'bearingyf'the pressure changes from positive to negative; and that f i from this point a region of .enegative pres;-

' sure extendsffor approximately l80faround the journal." Bearingthis fact in mind, and rememberingthe influence that the belt pull,

load and direction of rotation have upon r.

the position 'of the journal in the-bearing,

face can be determined drilling a few I test holes and either observing the action when oil is poured into these holes, or by". testing the pressure at the holes with any pressure indicating device. It'may bede sirable to have several oil ducts enter the bearing at different angular positions, 7

V It will be evidentthat, if the air duct 14. is closed while theshaft is running," the ,suction createdin the'du'ct'12 will cause-the oil to flow very 'rapidl'ythrough the duct 15; 1

and the duct 12 into the bearing, draining mal running conditions, however,- the air 1 duct is left open and affords freecommuni cation between the'duct 12f-and the atmos phere so that the level of thebody of oil in;

7 125 I the reservoir in a fewminutes. 5 Under nor-5 the duct is not appreciably affected by the suction.

The rate at which the oil will be delivered to the friction surface may be varied by varying the velocity of the current-of air traveling through the duct 12. Obviously the greater the velocity the greater will be the frictional drag exerted uponthe film of oil by the air. The more important factors affecting the velocity of the air entering the I notch in. the shaft opposite the duct 12 or by forming a groovein the bushing't across 20.

with the axis of the-shaft.

the endjof duct 12- and running parallel The rate of delivery of oil to the shaft also depends upon the size and shape of the oil ducts and theheight that the oil must be lifted. Experiments conducted with this apparatus indicate that the oil is drawn up the wall of the duct 15,:chiefiy through the action of surface tension. The current of air in the duct 12, urging the film along this duct, tends to rupture the film near the upper end of theduct 15, while surface tension, tending to maintain the filrnunbroken, lifts oil from-the main body in. the duct 15 and draws it slowly up the walls of the duct, thus replenishing the film in the duct 12. I have found that an apparatus arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which this duct is circular in cross-section and approximately one sixteenth of an inch in diameter, operates very satisfactorily. The travel of the on up the walls of the duct 15 may be aided by roughening the-walls or by inserting a rod in the duct partially closing it and providing additional surface upon which the oil film may cling.

In order to provide for the lubrication of loose pulleys orsimilar devices, and for conditions in which a shaft or pulley may frequently be reversed, or in which for other reasons the region of negative pressure in the bearing may be shifted while the shaft is running, I have devised a construction illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Referring to these figures, 20 and 22 indicate respectively fast and loose pulleys; the former being rigidly mounted on the shaft 24: and the latterbeing freely rotatable on a stationary sleeve 26': The sleeve is integral with a casting 27 and both the sleeve and the shaft are supported by a bearing 28 which, for instance, may be a shaft hanger. The shaft is rotatable both in the sleeve and in the hearing. The sleeve, therefore, has both an that must be lubricated. This lubrication is effected by apparatus substantially like that above described in connection with Figs. 1

and 2, except that an apparatus is provided on each side of the bearing and the oil ducts open into the friction surface at points substantially diametrically opposite. 'These apparatus comprise oil pockets 30 and 31 positioned respectively on the left and right sides of the casting 27, as shown in Fig. 5, oil ducts 32. and 33 connected with said pockets and air ducts and 35 opening respectively into said oil ducts. The pockets 30 and 31 are provided with hinged covers 36 and 37 respectivelv and the edges of the pockets are notchedto allow the air to find its way freely to the air ducts and also to prevent the filling of the reservoir to a point that would cause the oil to run on to the friction surfaces by gravity. Long l1OIlzontal oil ducts-38 and 39 are drilled longitudinally of the sleeve at each side through the junction of the respective pairs of oil and air ducts; and several'pairs of small cross ducts 4.0 and ll intersect respectively the ducts 38 and 39. .Twopairs of these cross ducts are drilled through the sleeve and connect the ducts 38 and 39 with both ing 27 to supply oil to this part. Assuming the running conditions to be the same as those described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2, it will be evident that oil will be taken from the pocket 30 and carried through the ducts 32, 38 and 40 to the surface of the shaft 24.. If the direction of rotation of the shaft is reversed, then oil will be taken from the opposite pocket 31 and carried through the ducts 33, 39 and 41 to the shaft. Under practically any running conditions suction will be created at one of the ducts 40 or 41 and hence will cause the delivery of oil to the shaft from one 'pocket or the other.

Assuming the loose pulley 22 to be rotated in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 5,. with the belt pull acting vertically downward, the point of greatest pressure of the pulley on the sleeve 26 will be substantially directly above the axis of the sleeve. The leaving side of the pulley therefore will be at the right, Fig. 5, and consequently the suction will be created in the region of the ducts 41. Oil, therefore, will be taken from the pocket 31 through the ducts 33, 39 and 41 to the external surface of the sleeve 26. If the direction of rotation is reversed or the conditions are btherwise changed to shift the region of negative pressure to the other side of the sleeve, oil then will be the internal and external friction surfaces 7 taken from the pocket 30 and carried to the external surface of the sleeve through the ducts 40. This arrangement of ducts upon opposite sides of the bearing enables the apparatus to operate under practically any conditions of direction of rotation, belt pull' or load The bearing 28 is cored. out below the shaft 24'to provide an oil reservoirfll-t which may be filled through an oil opening 4'6 that normally is closed by a cover 48. A passage 50 extends entirely around the shaft and communicates With an aperture 52, opening under the cover :48 to enable the airto es-1 1 cape-as it is displaced by the oil during the fillingof the oil chamber 44. Two plugs 54:

are threaded into holes drilled through the 7 bottom of the bearing 28 to permit the oil chamber $4: to be drained, Ducts 56 and 5.7

7 are drilled downwardly through the hearing onopposite sides and open into the 011' chamber 4% and ducts58 and 59 are drilled horizontally through the bearing, intersect.-

mg respectively the ducts '56 and-57, and opening onto the friction surface of the bearing. In this construction the bearing surface 1s grooved"longitudinally, as indicatedfat '60 and 61, these grooves-intersect, fing the ducts 5S and 5,9. lhe outer ends of the ducts 56 and 57. are fitted Withplugs 62' and 68 drilled to admit air to the'ducts. It

Will be evident that this apparatus operates exactly as does the apparatus shown in Fig. i

5, the oil being talfen from the reservoir 1 through either the lower portion 'ofthe duct 56 and the duct 58 or else through the ducts 5? and 59 to the bearing surface, depending upon the conditions affecting the distribution of pressure about the journal.

-The method in accordance with which the present apparatus'operates is not claimed in thisapplication Serial No. 683,411 but is tion filed concurrently herewith.

Having thus described my invention, What made the subject matter of anotherapplica- I claim as new and desire to secure by Let:

ters Patent of the United States is g- 1'. An apparatus of the character -described comprising a member having a fric tion surface, an oil reservoir, a duct leading:

from said reservoir to said surface and arranged to utilize surlace tension to lift oil from the reservoir, and means for causinga current of gas to flow through a portion of said duct to urge the oil therein toward said surface. I l I I 2. An apparatus of the character described comprising a member having a friction surface, an oil reservoir, a .ductleading from sald reservoir to a point on said friction surface and having communlcatlon With the atmosphere, said duct being arranged to utilize surface tension to lift oil from the reservoir, and means for creating guction at said point on said friction surace.

3. An apparatus of the character de scribed comprising a'member having a friction surface, an oil supply, a duct leading from a point on said surfaceand between 1ts ends to said oil supply, said supply being so positioned with reference to saidpoint that the oil in traveling along the duct; toward saidjpointmust-be moved [throughrat least a portion: of theduct against the influence of gravity, and means for causing a current of gas-to fioW along-a portion {of said duct toward said'su'rface.

4. An apparatus of the character de I scribed comprising a normally stationary member having a frictionrsurface, a device: having a friction surface moving over" the friction surface of said memberfan joil' reservoir, and a duct communicat ng: with the reference to said point that the oil in trav cling along the duct toward said point must i i ;be lifted through atfleast duct against the influence of gravity.

a portion of the atmosphere and leading fromsaid reservoir to a, point between the friction surfaces of said member and said device at which secs". ,7 tion is created .bythe movement o-f said de vice, said reservoir"being-so arranged with f An apparatus of the character.de

scribed comprising abearing having aI fiflQ? tion surface, a member supportedjfor-movement on said surface, an oil reservoir, and a duct communicating With, the atmosphere and connecting said reservoir With the fric-. tion surface of said bearing and arranged to utilize the fluid. pressure disturbances created between the frictionsurfaces of said bearing and member bytheir relative movement tocause'a currentfof air to :pass along said duct toward said friction surface.

6. An apparatus of; the character C164 scribed comprising a bearing, amember supported thereby for rotative movement, an oil:

reservoir, an oil duct leading from saidreservoir to a point on the friction surface of said bearing at which suction is creafted by the movement of said member, and: an air ductopening'into said'j oil duct at a'point between the, normal level of the oil insaid oil duct and said friction surface. v 7 'An apparatus of the character described compris ng a bearlng, an oil reservoir formed in said bearing, an oil duct leading from a po1nton the frlctionsurface of the bearing and opening into said reservoir near 1ts bottom, and, an'air duct opening into said ,oil duct at a point above the normal level of the'oil in said duct.

ble in said bearing,

reservoir to a point in the first duct above scribed comprising a bearing having a fric-.

tion surface an oil"reservoir, an oil duct connecting said reservoir with an opening on said friction surface between the ends of said surface, said duct including a lon substantially horizontal portion, and an air duct opening into said oil duct at a point between the normal level of the oil in said duct and said friction surface.

l1. An apparatus of the character described comprising a bearing having a friction surface, an oil reservoir, an oil duct connecting said reservoir with an opening on said surface between the ends of said surface, saidduct including a substantiall horizontal portion positioned above the normal level of the oil in said reservoir, an air duct opening into said oil duct above the 1 normal level of the oil in the duct and at a point relatively remote from said friction surface, and means for causing a current of air to flow toward said friction surface through said air duct and a portion of said oil duct.

12. An apparatus of the character described coinprising a sleeve having internal and external friction surfaces, an oil supply,

an oil duct leading from said oil supply and opening on to both of said surfaces, and an air duct'opening into said oil duct at a point above the normal level of the surface of the oil in said duct.

13. An apparatus of the character described comprising a stationary sleeve having an internal and an externalfriction surface, a support for said sleeve, a journal rotatable within said sleeve, a device rotatable on said sleeve, an oil reservoir,an oil duct leading upwardly'from said reservoir, having a long substantially horizontal portion and opening on to both of said friction surfaces, and an air duct'opening into said oil duct near the end of the horizontal portion remote from the friction surfaces.

14. An apparatus of the character de- Oopies of this patent may be obtained for scribed comprising a bearing having a friction surface, oil ducts opening on to said surface at opposite sides of the bearing, means for supplying oil to said ducts, and air ducts opening respectively into said oil ducts at points between the normal level of the oil in said ducts and said friction surfaces.

15. An apparatus of the character described comprising a bearing having a staionary sleeve projecting therefrom, a shaft positioned in said bearing and extending through said sleeve, a device rotatably mounted on said sleeve, ducts communicating with the atmosphere and opening on to the friction surface of said hearing at opposite sides thereof and on to the internal and external surfaces of said sleeve at its opposite sides, and additional ducts leadingfrom said ducts to an oil supply positioned at a i Hui level than the first mentioned ducts.

16. An apparatus of the character described comprising a bearing, a shaft supported therein, an oil reservoir in said bearing, an oil duct leading upwardly from a point near the bottom of the reservoir and opening on to the friction surface of the bearing at a point at which ne ative pressure is created by the movement of the shaft, an duct opening into said oil duct at a point above the level of the oil therein, and means to prevent the entrance of dirt into said air duct while affording free entrance thereto for the air.

17. An apparatus of the character described comprising a bearing, a member supported thereby for rotative movement, an oil duct opening on to the friction surface of said hearing at a point at which suction is created by the movement of said member, another oil duct opening on to said friction surface substantially opposite to said point, means for supplying oil to said ducts, and an air duct for each of said oil ducts, each air duct opening into its respective oil duct at a point between the normal level of the oil in the oil duct and the point at which it opens on to said friction surface.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER M. ALEXANDER.

Witnesses JOHN H. MoCnnAnY, ELMER B. GRUSH.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,157 ,359, granted October 19,

1915, upon the application of Alexander M. Alexander, of Beverly, Massachusetts,

for an improvement in Lubricating Apparatus, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 40, strike out the Words and numerals Serial No. 683,411; same page, line 42, before the Word filed insert the Words and numerals Serial No. 683,411; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

[SEAL] J. T. NEWTON,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. Cl. 64-24. 

